What's Left of Me
by shakinthingsup
Summary: Shane McMahon never thought he would find love again after the death of his wife, Marissa. When a new woman comes into Shane's life, will he let her get close? Or will his fear of falling in love prevent him from finding true happiness? Set in 2006, early spring. Shane McMahon/OC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Yes, I know, I'm in the middle of my other story. This idea just wouldn't leave me alone! With that said, I would love some feedback. I want to know if I should continue with this story. **

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Chapter 1

There is nothing like New York City on a spring morning. The crisp, fresh air as a new day starts. The sounds of shoes on the pavement and vehicles on the streets as the city wakes up and people begin their day. There's nothing like the freedom of a jog through Central Park to start off your day. Shane McMahon loved his morning run. It gave him time to think, to forget the daily grind of his job for that first hour or so of his day. It felt great to feel his feet hit the pavement as he took the same familiar path, leading from the entrance near his condo to his favorite restaurant where he stopped to indulge in his morning coffee and to look over the stocks in the New York Times. The same, small restaurant with the older woman, Martha, who's kind face and voice pleaded with him to have a real meal, not just a bagel with that cup of coffee. It felt nice to have someone worry about him. He's sure that's part of the reason he returns to the restaurant every morning.

Shane's wife, Marissa, had been killed in a car accident two years prior. In the first couple of months, it was all Shane could do to get out of bed each morning. He knew he had to, for his son. Declan was all that he had now. Shane knew without a doubt if it wasn't for his son, he would probably still be holed up in bed, refusing to face the world around him. His little boy... their son... he gave Shane hope. He gave him purpose. Little by little, Shane became stronger. The first six months he primarily focused on Declan, taking some time off from the WWE. Slowly Shane tested the water, trying to go back to work. He primarily remained behind the scenes, as it provided him the freedom to take Declan with him to the office as he completed his work for the day. After that first year Shane felt comfortable enough to allow either his sister or one of the WWE staffers to stay with Declan while Shane was onscreen making an appearance. Shane knew eventually he would have to find someone to care for Declan but at this point, he felt it was his responsibility to do so. Shane didn't think he had the strength to allow someone else into their lives just yet.

Shane would finish his coffee and the eggs and bacon that Martha would inevitably talk him into. He'd pay for his meal and then jog back to his condo so he could shower and prepare for his day. Shane wouldn't even allow himself the indulgence of jogging through the park in the morning if it wasn't for his mother, Linda, ensuring that she or one of their close friends came over every morning to give Shane the opportunity. His immediate family or close friends were the only people he would trust to care for Declan in his absence. Shane would shower and dress quickly, thanking his mother with a kiss on the cheek or a phone call just to assure her he was alright. Linda would fuss over him, telling him he needed more rest... that he needed a new woman in his life. Shane would reassure his mother in time he would find someone to fit into his life with Declan... but the time wasn't now.

Much to Shane's surprise, he would find that fate would intervene sooner than he anticipated.

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One early morning, Shane was stretching before he began his jog. That's when she caught his eye. He didn't know who she was, but was she beautiful. Her long, dark hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She was wearing gray jogging pants with baby blue stripes on the legs with the matching jacket on top. His deep brown eyes were locked on her as she stretched across the path from him. Shane blushed and glanced away quickly when she looked up; he was positive he had been caught in the act. There was no denying he had been staring.

She had, in fact, noticed his gaze on her. How could she miss it? She had seen him jogging on a few different occasions but he had seemed so preoccupied that she was never a blip on his radar, much to her dismay. Her brown eyes were on Shane now as she finished her stretches, waiting for him to look up again. When he did he was met with a warm smile from her. She gave a little wave before she went on her way. She did have to keep her schedule. If he wanted to speak to her he would have to keep up.

Shane was frozen in place. Her smile was completely disarming. He knew he wanted to talk to her... right now. He realized that in his distraction that she had taken off. Shane looked around, trying to catch sight of her. Which way did she go? Shane sighed, closing his eyes when he did not see her. _Damn it, _he thought. He stretched once more before he began his jog. He knew two things for sure. One, he hadn't felt this alive in months. And two, he _had _to see her again. He set off on his usual course, keeping his eyes peeled.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm a little apprehensive about this chapter so any feedback you can provide would be awesome. Thank you to those of you reading and reviewing so far! **

**Without further adieu, here is the next installment.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Shane or his family. Just my original characters.**

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Chapter 2

Unfortunately Shane never caught sight of the beauty he encountered before he began his run that morning. He had hoped they would cross paths in some other part of the park. He began to wonder if he had seen her at all. Had she been a creation of his imagination? His mother had been on his case for a while now about finding someone to share his life with. Shane shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. _No way, _he thought. There was no doubt in his mind that she was very real. A smile pulled at his lips as he recalled her dark brown eyes meeting his and her welcoming smile. What he wouldn't give to see her again... to get to know her. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought him out of his reverie. Shane looked up to the amused smile of his sister, Stephanie.

"You look like you had a good morning, Shane-O."

Shane waved a hand, playing it off. "Nah. No different from any other morning. What's up?"

Stephanie hummed, "Mmhmm..."

Shane looked at Stephanie patiently, not divulging a thing, mainly because he had nothing to offer at this point.

Stephanie tried to wait Shane out, despite knowing the effort was futile. Finally she tried another tactic; pouting. "C'mon, Shane. Tell me what has that smile on your face."

Shane chuckled, shaking his head. "Steph, there's nothing to tell. When there is, I'll share. I promise."

Stephanie frowned but moved on to why she had originally come to Shane's office. She could try grilling him for more information later. "So... I came to ask you to lunch." She smiles down at her brother.

Shane debates for a moment and the hesitation is too much for Stephanie. She walks around the desk, grabbing her brother's hands and pulling him up from his chair. Shane smiles fondly at his sister; she never would take no for an answer. "Okay, okay. But its on me."

Stephanie grins, giving her brother a quick hug. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Shane and Stephanie leave the office, heading out to grab a quick bite to eat before they both have to get back to work.

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Andrea Foster, a first grade detective with the NYPD, sat with her partner, Dominic, in their unmarked squad car. She was uncharacteristically all smiles and even humming at times. The man who had caught her eye months ago in the park had finally noticed her. Even just the brief wordless exchange was enough to send the excited butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

For Dominic, the situation was a little unnerving. He had never known his partner to be this happy working an AM tour. He had to speak up. "Alright, Andie... what gives? You've been all..." He waves his hand in the air, trying to articulate his feelings. "Happy." He makes a strange, confused face and then turns towards her a little, an eyebrow raised. "You get lucky last night?"

Andrea smacked him in the arm, rolling her eyes. "You are so crass, Dom. No, I didn't get lucky last night, not that it's any of your business."

Dominic rubbed his bicep, feigning pain. "Ow. Damn, girl. You gotta be so rough?" He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"You're lucky I'm not some newbie who would turn your ass in in the blink of an eye for sexual harassment." Andrea smiles despite herself. She loved the playful banter between them.

"So you keep sayin'. I'm telling' you, though. I haven't found someone that I couldn't charm the pants off of yet."

Andrea snorts, her eyes focusing on him for the first time all morning. "And I keep telling you that you're full of shit. Keep your eyes open, man. We have to catch this scumbag."

They were after a known serial rapist who had attacked an 18-year-old college student on her way home from class. He had managed to elude the first cops on scene but they had gotten great information from the victim, including an identification via a mug shot. Now it was just a matter of tracking the guy down. Several people had pinpointed this location during interrogations so they set up their stake out. Now all the seasoned detectives could do was wait. Which left plenty of time for Dominic to try to grill an answer out of his partner. He loved Andrea like a little sister. He worried she spent too much time on the job and not enough time in any other part of her life.

They sat quietly for a while, sipping from their coffee, or in Andrea's case, water, or reading the paper. It didn't last for more than a half hour before Dominic was asking questions again, as he had caught Andrea with that smile and a space cadet look on her face.

"Andie, seriously... tell me about the guy."

Andrea glanced at her partner again. She thought about blowing off his question but she knew he'd be unbearable until she answered him. "Dom... there's nothing to tell. I saw this guy while I was out jogging this morning. It wasn't the first time I had noticed him. I mean, I'm busy but I'm not dead. Today I'm pretty sure he noticed me, too."

"This is not a surprise, Andie. You're beautiful." Dominic smiled. "So, did you talk to him? Get some digits?"

Andrea waved him off. "No. We smiled at each other and I went on my way. I had to make sure I wasn't late this morning."

Dominic gaped at her, shaking his head. "Andrea, what the hell am I going to do with you? Do I gotta go jogging with you to make sure you actually talk to this guy?"

Andrea raised an eyebrow at him, trying to contain her amusement. "You? Jog? I don't think I wanna perform CPR in front of this guy."

He smirked. "Well why the hell not? He'd know you were good with your mouth at least..."

Her eyes widened and she slugged him in the shoulder, making it count this time. "Dominic!"

He held up his hands, indicating defeat. "Okay, okay. I give." He paused as he rubbed his now throbbing shoulder but then spoke again, turning serious. "If you are attracted to this guy you really should talk to him. You never know... maybe he'll be the guy who can settle you down."

Andrea thought about this for a couple of moments and then acquiesced. "Okay. I will. Happy?"

Dominic smiled brightly. "Yes. Very."

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Andrea followed her usual morning routine, arriving in the park at the same time and keeping her eyes open for the guy. Three weeks passed and she was beginning to think that she had blown her one shot when she caught sight of him again. The relief that flooded through her was something she was not used to. Perhaps Dom was right. Maybe this guy could be the one. There was only one way to find out but she found herself rooted to the spot, scared to approach him. Instead she stood, staring, hoping that he would make eye contact again.

Shane felt eyes on him as he was stretching his muscles before this morning's run. He lifted his gaze and caught sight of the woman he had encountered a few weeks back. He had hoped she would be here. He had been away making appearances with the WWE and was afraid they wouldn't cross paths again. He had never been so glad to be wrong. After taking a deep breath, Shane stood and walked over to where she was standing. His nerves were going into overdrive; he hadn't approached a woman like this in years. He sent up a prayer hoping he wouldn't screw it up. "Good morning. Beautiful day, isn't it?"

Andrea felt herself relax, glad he made the move to walk over to her. She hoped that meant her self-doubt was unfounded. She smiled. "Yes, absolutely gorgeous." _Like you, _she thought. Before she could over think the situation she spoke again. "I'm sure I've seen you here before. This a favorite spot of yours?"

Shane nodded. "Yeah, it is. I live close by, which is another selling point. Oh, I'm Shane, by the way. Shane McMahon." Shane offered his hand for her to shake.

Andrea smiled, placing her smaller hand in his, giving him a firm, but no overly so, handshake. "Andrea Foster. It's nice to meet you. Do you mind if we jog and talk?"

"Absolutely not." Shane gestured for her to begin, keeping pace with her while their conversation continued.

"So what do you do, Shane? With you having a home nearby, I would think you're probably one of those Wall Street guys..."

Shane laughed softly, shaking his head. "Not so much. I'm actually in the entertainment business. Sports entertainment, specifically."

Andrea glanced over at Shane curiously. "That sounds interesting and profitable."

"It definitely has its strong points." Shane smiled. "So what is it you do, Andrea?"

Andrea caught his smile and immediately smiled in response to it. "I'm in law enforcement. NYPD."

"Really? Now I bet _that _is interesting." Shane was surprised; he would never have guessed by looking at her that she was a cop. A model, maybe, but definitely not a cop.

"I can't disagree with that. Being a cop is definitely interesting. It's a job you really have to love to stick with it. It can really test your patience, not to mention your sanity." Internally, Andrea was hoping like hell that the fact that she's a cop wouldn't be a deal breaker. It tends to intimidate some men.

"How long have you been with the department?"

"It's going on ten years now. I have seen a lot of cops come and go in that time." Andrea glanced at Shane as they rounded a bend in the path, hoping against hope that he wouldn't appear to be turned off. From what she could tell, he didn't seem like it.

"Now that... that's a long time. I am very impressed by your fortitude." One thing that was attractive to Shane is dedication. Being as dedicated as he is in everything he does, he loves a woman who has the same passion.

Andrea smiled, glad her cheeks were already a little flushed from running so it wasn't obvious she was blushing a little. "I'm glad you approve."

They came to a stop across the street from Shane's favorite restaurant. Shane looked at Andrea, asking, "So you hungry?" He gestured towards the restaurant. "I know it doesn't look like much but they have excellent food."

Before Andrea could answer, her stomach growled. She laughed. "Well, it would be a lie if I said no, wouldn't it? But I wasn't going to say no."

Shane grinned and they crossed the street together, entering the restaurant and taking residence at Shane's usual table. He introduced Andrea to Martha, who Andrea adored immediately. She reminded Andrea of her own mother or maybe her aunt. After Martha had taken their order, Andrea turned to Shane. "She is such a sweet woman."

"I know. Between her and the awesome food, I've become a regular customer."

Andrea smiled, "I can see why."

They spent the next two hours eating and getting to know each other, falling easily into conversation and feeling as if they had known one another forever. Shane told Andrea about his parents and sister, not broaching the subject of Marissa or Declan at this time. Andrea spoke of her older brother and her partner Dominic, filling him in on a few stories of their different cases, without disclosing names of course. When the check came, Shane grabbed it quickly. Andrea opened her mouth to protest but Shane held up his hand, insisting to cover the tab this time. "I've got it this time. How about you get the next one?"

Andrea knew he wasn't going to allow her to pay, but nodded dutifully. "Deal."

She watched as Shane pulled out his credit card and passed it to Martha along with the check. When he did so, Andrea caught sight of his wedding band on his left ring finger. Immediately she got a sinking feeling; of course he's married. She knew it was too good to be true. She glanced at the clock on the wall, saying. "I didn't know it was that late... I have to go."

Shane looked at her, surprised by the abruptness of her words and how quickly she stood following them. Shane got up after signing the receipt, saying. "Let me head back with you. I have to get ready for work anyway."

Andrea agreed, heading out of the restaurant with Shane, jogging back the same way they came, their pace a little faster on the way back. There was a lack of the easy conversation they had fallen into during breakfast and Andrea seemed distracted. Once they had gotten back to the entrance of the park where they had originally met, Andrea said, "Thanks again for breakfast, Shane. Next time it's my treat."

"I'm going to hold you to that." Shane wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his sweat shirt. "And I'll give you a call later, okay?"

Andrea nodded with a small smile. "Okay. See you later."

With that she headed out of the park, leaving Shane watching her go. He had no idea what happened but she seemed distant and upset. He shook his head, figuring maybe he was over thinking things. _She probably just had somewhere to be_, he thought. He smiled as he checked his phone, making sure he had her number stored, then headed back to his condo to get ready for his day, a definite spring in his step.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all again for reading. I was feeling a little bit apprehensive about parts of this chapter so any words of wisdom you might have would be welcome. **

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Chapter 3

"Andie, you look like you're about to go postal on somebody. What the hell is wrong?" Dominic had dealt with Andrea's crappy mood all day and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. The dark cloud over her head and her brooding made the tour feel exceptionally long.

"Leave it alone, Dominic." Andrea snapped, her glare enough to have most people running for the hills. For such a petite woman, she had one helluva bark and an even worse bite.

Dominic rolled his eyes. "Andie, we go through this all the time. Why not just talk to me and get whatever is pissing you off off your chest so we can get on with our day? You know you feel better after you talk to me."

Andrea frowned; she knew what Dominic was saying was true but she wasn't sure she was ready to open that can of worms with him yet. She glanced at Dominic and she knew that eventually she was going to have to tell him. After fifteen minutes of silence, Andrea spoke up. "Fine. You know that guy I was telling you about? In the park?"

Dominic turned his full attention to his partner, definitely interested. "Yeah? What about him?"

Andrea smiled, remembering her morning jog and breakfast with Shane. "Well, we talked. We jogged together and had breakfast. He's really sweet, not to mention smart and successful. Doesn't hurt that he's easy on the eyes, either."

Dominic's look of interest changed to confusion. What was her problem if she had such a good morning? "Andie... this does not sound like it should lead to you having a shitty day..."

Andrea sighed, "I know, Dom. It's just... we're about to leave the diner, right? He, of course, insists upon paying the tab. When he goes to pay, that's when I see it..."

"See what? An unsightly wart? He only has three fingers?"

Andrea flips Dominic the bird. "No. The wedding ring."

Dominic raises an eyebrow. "Wedding ring, huh? That explains a little bit of this hostility. But Andie, do you really think he would be going for more than friendship if he is married? I mean, come on... if he was cheating, the ring would be out of sight. I know mine would be, if I had one."

"I don't know what to think, Dom. I really, really like Shane. It seems like more of a connection than simple friendship. Perhaps I'm projecting but I thought he kinda felt the spark, too."

Dominic reached over, rubbing Andrea's shoulder soothingly. "You want me to feel him out? Make sure he's not some jerk trying to screw with you?"

Andrea shook her head adamantly. "No, Dom. I don't want any meddling. No snooping, no playing Dad and trying to scare him off or threatening him with your gun. I'll just ask him about it when I feel the time is right. Besides, he has said he would call me. Tonight. If he doesn't, well... then it doesn't matter what he does or how threatening you can be. It will show me that it wasn't meant to be."

Dominic nodded, "Okay. But you let me know if you change your mind. Nobody's gonna hurt my partner and get away with it."

Andrea smiled gratefully at Dominic. Even if he was a pain in the ass, he was a good friend. "Thanks, Dom."

"Anytime, kiddo."

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Shane arrived at his sister's office to pick up his son, Declan. Stephanie had been keeping an eye on the boy while Shane had a business meeting to attend. He poked his head into the room, grinning broadly when Declan immediately spotted him. "Daddy!"

Shane crossed the room, being met halfway by his son, who grabbed onto his leg in a fierce hug, well as fierce a hug as a two-year old could muster. Shane ruffled his hair. "Hey, little man. Were you good for your Aunt Stephie?"

Stephanie smiled, looking up at her brother, watching him with his son. It was amazing to her how much Declan favored Shane. Aside from the blonde hair. "He's always good, Shane. Hardly a peep out of him. He sits there and plays with his toys or colors. Don't you, short stuff?"

Declan smiled almost shyly, "Yes Auntie Stephie."

Shane scooped up the boy, giving him a overexuberant hug, earning a giggle out of Declan. "Thanks for watching him Steph. I owe you."

Stephanie smirked. This was the opening she was waiting for. "So if you owe me, why don't you tell me what has you so da- darn chipper today?"

Shane rolled his eyes. He knew this would be coming. "I had breakfast with someone..."

Stephanie quirked an eyebrow. "A special someone?"

"Yeah, I would say that's a fair assessment. She seems like somebody I could become close to."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Shane... that is such a generic answer. Here's a different question: Will you see her again?"

Shane smiled, nodding. "Actually, yes. I'm going to call her on the way home and invite her to dinner."

"Dinner at home or dinner out?"

"How did I end up with such a nosy little sister?" Shane smiled and kissed Stephanie on the forehead. "I'll let you know. We'll see how it goes."

Stephanie shook her head. That was all she was going to get out of Shane for now. "You had better fill me in. Full story, right after your date, Shane-O. Otherwise I'm gonna sick Mom on you..."

Shane chuckled. "Okay, okay. Fair enough. I'll talk to you later, sis."

"Bye Shane... bye Declan."

"Bye Auntie Stephie!" Declan hid his little face in his father's neck as Shane carried him out of the office.

Shane smiled and left with Declan, heading back to their home. On the way there he pulled out his cell, looking up Andrea's number and hitting 'call'. On about the fourth ring, her voice came over the line. "_Foster_."

Shane smiled. "Hey, Foster. It's me, Shane."

Her smile was evident through the phone. "_Hi, Shane. Sorry if I came across a little abrupt. How was your day?_"

Shane felt relieved that she was in a good mood; apparently he was reading too much into her sudden departure this morning. "I have had a great day. Just heading back home now. Are you still working?"

"_No, I just checked out. I'm officially off the clock._"

"So do you have any plans tonight? If not I was thinking maybe I could invite you over for dinner..."

There was a short pause before she spoke again. "_Dinner sounds nice. Really nice. Do I have time to go home and shower? You might have second thoughts if I came over as I am._"

Shane laughed softly. "By all means, shower. Take your time. What is your favorite kind of food? I can have it ready to be served by the time you get here."

Her soft laugh sounded like heaven to his ears. "_Don't worry. I'll make sure I have no funk from the day left on me before I leave. And Italian... I love Italian food. You prepare spaghetti and meatballs or chicken alfredo and I will be in heaven._"

"Done deal. So I can expect you at seven? Seven-thirty maybe?"

"_Absolutely. I'll see you then, Shane._"

"I can't wait. See you then, Andie. Bye." Shane ended the call, a warm, happy feeling coursing through him. He quickened his pace once he got off of the subway, carefully cradling his now sleeping son as made his way home. He wanted everything to be ready when Andrea arrived.

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Andrea hung up the phone with a bright smile on her face. The fact that Shane called her had quelled a lot of her inner turmoil. He surely wouldn't call if he was married, right? He definitely wouldn't invite her to his home if he had a wife. Feeling the inner peace that she had lacked the majority of the day she headed for home. She was glad that she lived fairly close to her precinct as well as being thankful that she lived in Manhattan. If she had lived elsewhere there would be no way for her to make it to Shane's place by seven.

She quickly dropped her purse after closing the door and setting her alarm. She had to shower and change. What should she wear? She didn't want to appear to take the invitation too casual but at the same time she wasn't exactly in the mood for dress up. She opted for a pair of black jeans that hugged her curves just right and a deep blue sweater. Once she had decided she quickly went about getting prepared to head over to see Shane.

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Shane glanced at his watch and tried not to pace in the great room. It was already seven forty-five. He didn't know Andrea very well but he didn't think that she was the type of person to be anything but punctual. He blew out a nervous breath; what if she had changed her mind? He ran a hand through his hair and was just about to call her when the doorbell rang. Shane quickly made his way to the door, relieved to see that Andrea was on the other side. After a pause to gather himself, Shane opened the door. "Andie, hi. Come on in..."

Andrea walked inside as Shane had stepped aside to grant her entrance. "I am so, so sorry Shane. I was on my way here and ran into a situation..." She looked up at him, her brown eyes full of apology.

Shane smiled, shaking his head. "Hey, it's probably something I should get used to, right? If by a situation you mean something that a police officer would have to rectify..."

Andrea nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what I meant. I mean... I'm supposed to be off the clock. Of course when I have somewhere to be I would have to mediate a domestic dispute."

Shane chuckled softly. "You must play referee a lot." He closed the door and lead Andrea into the great room, gesturing towards the couch. Andrea sat down, pulling one of her socked feet up under her. She had slipped her shoes off at the door.

"Yeah, you have no idea. And the ridiculous things they fight about... I could write a book." She smiles, watching as Shane joined her on the couch. She turned her body a little to face him. "Again, I am so sorry."

Shane waved a hand. "No need to apologize. I'm just glad you're here and you're safe."

It warmed Andrea's heart to hear his words. "You are entirely too sweet."

"Depends on who you are and what my business is with you."

She raised an eyebrow. "You are telling me you are a hard ass? I can't see it..."

"Oh I have it in me. Bred into me from the time I was little. My Dad is one of those people who wanted nothing more than to have the world at his feet and showed his only son how to accomplish the same."

"Right, right. Mr. Tycoon. I swear you honestly don't strike me as the type."

He laughed softly. "Thanks, I think."

"It's a compliment, trust me. Most business people I come across strike me as the arrogant jerks they are. I get the feeling you're only a jerk when necessary."

"Kind of like the nice guy who plays an ass on TV?"

She laughs, nodding. "Exactly." Her eyes were mostly locked on his while engaged in conversation but they drifted a couple of times to his left hand. Yup, still there. It wasn't a figment of her imagination.

Shane, for his part, didn't observe her doing so. "So dinner's ready. You hungry?"

Andrea nodded, standing when Shane did, letting him lead her into the dining room area. "Extremely hungry. I haven't had much since breakfast."

She took in the surroundings. Track lighting that was clearly dimmed for a date feel, two plates that are obscured by silver covers, a small basket with garlic bread and a small salad for each of them. He had picked out a bottle of red wine to compliment the meal, a Chianti. She sat at the table as he pulled out a chair for her, reaching to place her napkin on her lap.

Shane watched as she took everything in, wanting to gauge her reaction. Her eyes met his and he could tell she was pleased. In his mind he was doing a little victory dance.

"This is a beautiful setup. You put a lot of work into this... a lot of thought."

He shrugged one shoulder, smiling a pleased smile. "I thought it would be a nice contrast to the Average Joe meal we had this morning."

Andrea nodded, "It is. Its perfect, actually."

They fell into comfortable conversation as they began eating. He told Andrea of his day in the office and his business dealings and she in turn told Shane about the rather dull day she had on the job filled with going through records and files for a case. Once they were pleasantly full they migrated back to the great room, wine flutes still in hand. Before they could be seated on the couch again, pictures on the mantle above his beautiful marble fireplace caught her eye. She walked over to examine them more closely.

Shane walked up, standing next to her. "My family. This is my Dad and Mom. That's my sister Stephanie and her husband Paul."

Andrea saw a picture of Shane with a beautiful brunette woman. "And her?"

Shane caught sight of the picture of himself and Marissa, biting the inside of his cheek. "That's my wife, Marissa. Well... she was my wife. She... she died."

Andrea turned to Shane, seeing the pain in his eyes. "Oh... I'm so sorry, Shane." She reached and placed a hand gently on his arm, wanting to give him some sort of strength of comfort. The look in his eyes was heartbreaking. And the ring still on his finger made perfect sense.

Shane looked down, first at her hand on his arm, then up to meet her eyes. He blinked back the threatening tears, swallowing thickly. "Its not your fault. You had no idea. She's... I had been with her from the time we were teenagers. We grew up together. She died two years ago and it's still hard for me to talk about."

Andrea was curious about what happened but did not want to pry further. She didn't want to cause him any more pain. "I can only imagine how you must feel. I can see how hard it is on you still."

"Most days are okay now but there are some... it's all I can do to function."

She nodded, gently squeezing his arm, a reassurance. She had her own experience with death so at least she had some sort of understanding. "Hey, what do you say we change the subject, huh? Maybe sit down and have some more wine?"

The depth of thanks and relief in his eyes was almost overwhelming. "Yeah, let's." He walked with her over to sit down on the sofa, both of them resuming their positions from earlier.

Andrea lead the conversation into easier, lighter territory. Trivial things such as their tastes in music - they both adored Nickelback - to their favorite movies - Action flicks were by far the most popular with both. Before long Shane's easy smile had returned which brought Andrea a sense of relief. She had no idea how she could feel so strongly for someone like she did Shane in such a short amount of time. All she knew was that she couldn't stand the idea of him being upset and she would walk through fire to make him feel better.

Finally, around midnight, Shane glanced at his watch. "Oh man... it's late. Do you have to work tomorrow?"

Andrea brought up her schedule on her Blackberry. "Uh... no. Luckily I don't." She looked up at Shane. "I bet you do though, don't you?"

Shane nodded to the affirmative. "Yes. I do."

"I should get going and let you get to bed." Andrea stood, making her way over to the door so she could get her shoes on.

Shane followed her over to the door, asking, "Will you be able to get home safely?"

Andrea stood once her shoes were on, nodding. "I will be fine. Thank you for a wonderful evening."

Shane leaned in, gently kissing her cheek. "Right back at you."

He opened the door to let Andrea out and she stepped out, saying before she headed for the elevator. "Good night, Shane. I'll talk to you later."

"Goodnight, Andie." He watched as she got onto the elevator, not closing his door until the elevator doors had closed. He leaned back against the door after locking it and sighed heavily. His emotions were all jumbled and he didn't know what he was going to do next in regards to Andrea. All he did know right now is that he was beat. He pushed himself away from the door and headed to his bedroom to get some sleep before he had to work the following day.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I am so sorry it took me longer than usual to get a chapter up. School got the better of me. Here is Chapter 4. Not as long as I would like but it felt like the best place to stop.**

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Chapter 4

Shane walked into the venue the following afternoon looking every bit as haggard as he felt. He slept for crap after Andie left last night. He laid in bed wide awake, unable to get thoughts of Marissa off of his mind. Doubts plagued his mind. Was he doing the right thing? Was it too soon? Was he doing justice to her memory by moving on? He knew the answer to that. He and Marissa had talked about it, in the event that something happened to one of them. He knew she would want him to be happy. He wanted to be happy but also he didn't know if he was ready to take any serious steps. He had barely gotten an hour's sleep before Declan was up for the day.

Now here he was in Atlanta, after a long flight and dealing with a cranky toddler. He carried a sleeping Declan through the halls, looking for the office his father would have taken up residence in. Upon entering the office after a knock, he was met with by the faces of not only his father but also his sister Stephanie and her husband Paul. It was Paul who spoke first, "Damn, Shane-O... rough night?"

Shane nodded, carefully lying Declan down on a sofa in the room, taking a seat next to him. "Yeah. No sleep. On top of that a shitty flight with a kid in the terrible two's. You do the math."

Stephanie frowned in concern. "Did your night not go as well as you thought it would?"

"Steph, I don't want to talk about it right now. Please." Shane implored.

Stephanie had no idea what had gone on but she nodded, letting it go for now. She would get to the bottom of this when they were in private.

Vince had been on the phone when Shane had walked in the room. He ended his call with a 'just do it, dammit!' turning and seeing that both Shane and Declan were in the room. "You're here. Good..." He looked closer at his son, seeing the obvious signs of fatigue. "You alright, Shane?"

"Yeah, Dad. Just tired. No sweat." He waved off Vince's concern and Vince let it drop for the time being. They had a show to deal with right now. If Shane knew his Dad, the interrogation would come later. He groaned inwardly at the thought. He didn't really want to have to explain himself to Vince or anyone else.

Before Shane's train of thought could continue, Stephanie passed out scripts to all in the room. "Okay, let's go over this before show time."

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After the show Stephanie caught up with Shane as they left the venue. "Hey, Shane! Wait up!"

Inwardly Shane groaned but slowed his pace to allow his sister to catch up. Once she was walking next to him Shane asked, "What can I do for you?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes, placing a hand on Shane's forearm to get him to stop and look at her. She was really worried about him as was their father. Stephanie was elected to talk to Shane since they were pretty close. "Shane... talk to me. What's going on? I haven't seen you looking so worn out since..." Her words stopped; she didn't have to finish them for Shane to know what she was referring to.

"Steph, I'm alright. The dinner went great. I had a tough time because she saw a picture of Ris and I above the fireplace. I had to explain..." His voice trailed off and Stephanie could see that her brother was trying not to let his emotions get the better of him.

Wordlessly, Stephane pulled her brother into an embrace. She felt his left arm wrap around her slender waist, as he was holding Declan with the right, and heard a shaky sigh come from his lips. She rubbed his back gently and asked "Are you having second thoughts?"

Shane closed his eyes, sighing again. He was always amazed at how well Stephanie knew him and could cut right to the heart of the matter. He knew it would be pointless to speak anything but the truth. "Yes... and no. Stephanie, Andie is so great. She's funny, smart, tough as nails. Not to mention beautiful and has a kind heart." Shane paused, smiling softly. "I know that Ris would want me to move forward and a part of me does, too. I just don't know if I'm ready."

Stephanie pulled back so she could meet her brother's eyes. "Shane, it sounds like you are ready. Maybe what you aren't ready to do is admit that to yourself. There's nothing wrong with taking your time... just don't take so much time that she slips through your fingers, okay?" Stephanie smiled encouragingly.

Shane nodded, giving his sister a peck on the cheek. "Thanks, sis."

"Anytime."

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A week later, Andie was sitting in her apartment feeling perplexed. She had thought that things had gone well with Shane when they had dinner but she had yet to hear from him. The two calls she made to him went without response. He hadn't been on a run since then, either. For the life of her, Andie couldn't figure out what she had done wrong. Was this his way of telling her that he was no longer interested? If so, it was a shitty way to handle things, she thought.

Andie stood up from her couch, a feeling of frustration building. She needed to go blow off some steam. Rather than going to the gym Andie opted to take a run in the park instead. Now she knew that most people stayed away from the park at night but she's a cop. She knew she could handle herself. With that decided, she quickly changed into her exercise attire and headed to the park.

After stretching Andie began jogging at first, her pace picking up a little bit as her muscles warmed up. Her thoughts drifted back to the situation with Shane as she continued through the park. She wondered if he hadn't been as interested as she thought he had been. Perhaps she misread the entire situation. That thought irked her because she prided herself on being able to read people. It was part of her job and she knew she was damn good at it. She couldn't figure out for the life of her what she could have done or said that would have repelled him.

Andie's thoughts were interruped when she heard a scream further down the path. She broke into a sprint to get there faster. As she approached she observed a man attacking a woman. He had her pinned to the ground by straddling her and was beating the crap out of her. Without a second thought, Andie ran and tackled the man from on top of the woman. While she struggled with the perp, the woman got up and took off, disappearing. Andie couldn't concern herself with that right now as she now fought with the man responsible for the attack. As strong as Andie was, she couldn't get the upper hand and soon found herself being pummeled, taking three solid punches before her head snapped back and hit the pavement hard. She vaguely felt the air being driven out of her by a kick before her world went black.

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The following morning, after some serious soul searching, Shane picked up his phone to call Andie. She had attempted to contact him over the past week and he hadn't answered or returned her calls. He knew he hadn't been fair to her and he hoped he could apologize and make it up to her somehow. He at least wanted to talk with her, to explain why he had done what he did. He pulled the phone away from his ear when he heard a male voice answer the phone, checking to make sure he called the right number. After the person said hello, Shane asked, "Hello? Is Andie there?"

"Andie can't talk right now." The male voice was clipped. Shane wondered if this was Andie's partner, whom she had talked about quite a bit when they had dinner last week.

"Who is this?"

Shane realized he hadn't responded when the question came. "Oh sorry. This is Shane... a friend of Andie's. When will she be available?"

The man on the other end sighed heavily and his voice had a worried edge to it. "I don't know..."

Shane frowned and he felt anxiety starting to rise in him. His question was cautious. "What do you mean you don't know? Who is this?"

"This is Andie's partner. Dominic. She uh... Andie was... look, she's hurt. She's in the hospital."

Shane felt his whole body tense. It took a moment before he could find his voice again. When he did, he only wanted to know one thing. "Is she going to be okay?"

Dom sighed again. From what the doctor said he felt that Andie would be fine. If that was the case though, why hadn't she woke up yet? "I... the doctor said she should be fine. She took a pretty nasty blow to the head. We're hoping she'll wake up within the next few hours."

Shane nodded, sighing softly. He was relieved to hear that. "Thank God. Look... can you keep me posted? I would really appreciate it."

"You got it, man." After a pause, Dom spoke again. "Listen Shane. I don't know what's been going on with you two but Andie has been really upset this past week. Whatever it is, make it right, okay?"

Shane bit his lip. He knew that he had been a jerk to her and he vowed to make it up to her. "I will."

With that the call ended. Shane put his phone down and ran a hand through his hair. He blew out another breath and set up a prayer for Andie's recovery.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry this took a bit of time to get out to you. School = owning me. Alright, here is chapter 5. Please show me some love if you are enjoying the story! **

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Chapter 5

Andie awoke the following morning, opening her eyes only to groan and close them again. The bright light filtering in through the window caused her head to begin throbbing. She heard movement in the room and heard her partner's voice, pitched softly in hopes of not aggravating her headache. "Hey, partner. What did I tell you about tryin' to take on the world by yourself?"

Andie inwardly rolled her eyes, speaking very softly. "Did they catch the guy?" She remembered tackling a perp who was beating the hell out of a woman in the park but she had no idea if he had been apprehended.

Dom rolled his eyes; he shouldn't be surprised that would be the first question out of her mouth. "No. He had already split by the time the cavalry came." Dom reached out, gently squeezing his partner's hand. "How are you feelin? You need me to get a nurse?" He could see the pain etched on her features and assumed he probably already knew the answer.

Andie nodded ever so slightly. The pounding in her head was steadily increasing and she knew that she would be sick if she didn't get something for the pain soon.

"I'll go get the nurse. Be right back." Dom quickly got up, heading out of the room to the nurse's station to bring a nurse back. From his own personal experience he knew it would be faster for him to speak to someone personally rather than hitting the call button. He returned after a couple of minutes with a nurse in tow. He closed the curtains while the nurse administered the medication, sitting back down and giving Andie some quiet while they took effect. When Andie finally opened her eyes Dom asked, "Better?"

"Yeah, kinda. I don't feel so much like I have an ice pick being drilled into my skull." Andie carefully shifted and inclined the hospital bed, hoping to relieve the ache in her ribs. The guy had really done a number on her.

"You had a lot of people worried about you, Andie." The relief in Dom's voice was palpable. His fear had risen to an almost unbearable level when she had finally woke up the night before. Despite all of the doctor's assurances, his anxiety wouldn't let up until then.

"I know… I'm sorry. You know I couldn't just stand at a distance and let that guy beat her to death. It was that intense." Andie closed her eyes, recalling the scene from the night before.

Dom nodded his understanding. He would have made the same decision in Andie's place. His reply was soft, but serious. "I understand your reasons. Just, please, don't do this to me again, okay?"

Andie smiled softly at her partner's show of concern and affection, which she always knew was there but rarely surfaced. She couldn't promise him that. Not as long as she was a cop.

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After a couple of day's observation Andie was released from the hospital, with strict instructions not to go back to work for another two weeks. Andie was relieved when she crossed the threshold into her apartment. "Ah, I hear the Hallelujah Chorus ringing out around us."

Dom laughed softly at her commentary. He knew that being cooped up in the hospital was driving the woman batty. He could hardly blame her. He was able to go home after visiting but still went stir crazy if he was there for more than a couple of hours. Not to mention, he'd been in her position a couple of times himself. "Don't you think that's a little dramatic, Andie?"

Andie mock gaped at him. "Blasphemy! Out of my castle at once!"

Dom rolled his eyes, acquiescing. "Alright, fine. But before I go, here's your phone. It was retrieved from the scene and released to me."

Andie accepted her cell phone, thinking that Dom meant that he had just taken possession of the phone he placed in her hand. As he handed over the phone, he added. "You may want to call this one guy back. He was pretty concerned about you."

Andie raised an eyebrow, surprised by that announcement. "What are you talking about, Dom? You have had my phone this whole time?"

Dom nodded, looking apologetic. "I kept it because of doctor's orders."

Andie narrowed her eyes at her partner. "Lucky for you I believe that. Otherwise…" Andie made like she was going to slit his neck then smirked.

"That right there would be my cue to leave. Enjoy your time off and take it easy. Doctor's orders and all." Just as Dom was pulling the door shut he called out, "And call Shane!"

Andie's jaw dropped when Dom mentioned Shane's name. Had Shane called or had Dom called Shane? What did Shane want? Andie was certain that that window had closed. She checked the call log on her phone and she saw that Shane had called at least three times since she had been admitted to the hospital, one of those times being shortly before Andie arrived home. Before Andie could think over the situation further, there was a knock at her door. Andie jumped and nearly dropped her phone on the hard wood floor. After taking a minute to control her heart rate, Andie walked to the door to check and see who had arrived. She looked through the peep hole and her breath caught. She murmured softly to herself, "Shane…"

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Shane stood on the opposite side of the door. He knew Andie was there because he'd talked to Dom a little while ago. He knocked on the door a second time and shoved his hands into his pockets. As he waited he began to wonder if perhaps Andie was avoiding him. He wouldn't blame her if she was. Before Shane could mull it over further, the door opened a crack. Shane smiled hopefully and said, "Andie? Can I come in?"

Andie remained concealed behind the door. She had seen her reflection in the mirror and cringed at the thought of anyone seeing her face right now. "Um… I uh…"

Shane sighed softly. "Andie… please. I really, really need to talk to you. And I would rather do it in person."

After a moment's pause, Andie wordlessly closed the door long enough to unhook the chain, opening the door to let Shane in. Andie closed and locked the door behind him. "So you know about the incident I'm guessing?"

Shane nodded and replied. "Yeah, Dom told me." Before Shane could say anything else Andie had turned to face him and his thoughts were immediately forgotten. Shane's jaw dropped as he took in Andie's face; the ugly purple bruising and swelling around her left eye. She had a small line of stitches on her forehead above the area and her bottom lip was split. Shane composed himself after a moment though his concern still was evident in his gaze. He found his voice and whispered. "Are you sure you're okay? Look at your face…" He reached out slowly, letting his fingertips barely brush her cheek, tracing around the outside of the bruising.

Andie closed her eyes at his touch, biting the inside of her cheek. She did not feel okay at all. She felt very vulnerable and frankly a little scared. She had no idea where she stood with Shane. All she knew is that he had been avoiding her one minute and the next he was here and showing so much concern for her that she wanted to cry. Andie tried in vain to keep her voice from shaking when she spoke again. "I don't know. I'm… still shaken up from everything, I guess."

Shane nodded his understanding even though he wasn't sure he completely understood. He had been in fights, sure, but most of them had been choreographed for live TV. "Why don't we go sit down? I'm sure you're sore from the altercation."

Andie nodded and led Shane to her living room area. Andie sat on the couch gingerly, mindful of her achy body. She pulled a throw from the back of the couch over her lap. Shane sat down next to her, keeping a little bit of space between them while they talked. Andie looked over at Shane expectantly, albeit nervously and asked, "Why didn't you call me last week, Shane? Did I do something wrong?"

Shane shook his head no vehemently. "No, not at all. I had a wonderful time with you last week." Shane paused, sighing softly. "I found myself having a hard time moving forward, Andie. I haven't dated since I lost my wife. I have always felt like I was betraying her memory by seeing another woman. I realize that isn't true but… it's hard to get it through my thick skull." Shane rapped his knuckles on the top of his head and gave her a lopsided smile. When he was rewarded with a smile from Andie he continued. "Andie, I am so sorry that I didn't at least show you the courtesy of calling you back. I don't always handle things in the appropriate manner."

Andie felt a huge weight lifting from her shoulders at Shane's admission. She gave him an encouraging smile. "Do any of us handle things the right way all the time? I think not."

Shane chuckled and nodded. "You make a good point. Now… how are you doing? Are you in a lot of pain?"

Andie shook her head. "No, not too much. My head still aches and my ribs are sore but otherwise I'm doing better. I was happy to hear that I didn't have more injuries. I thought I would. Whoever that guy was he was in a serious rage. He would have killed the woman he was attacking."

Shane nodded. From the sight of Andie's face, he did not doubt this to be true. He bit his bottom lip as he resisted the urge to touch her face again. After a short pause, he asked. "Andie, how do you do it? How do you go out there and put your safety on the line like that? Aren't you afraid?"

Andie thought about the question for a moment. "At times, I am afraid. You have to be a little bit afraid otherwise you're a loose cannon. I've often heard a saying that simply says you don't lack fear, but you have the strength to move forward anyway. That's how you define courage."

"I would definitely call you courageous, Andie. Even after something like this, I bet you can't wait to get back out on the job." Shane thought about the fact that if he and Andie began a relationship, this is one very real concern he would have on a daily basis in regards to Andie's welfare. He would also have to consider Declan into that equation and what it would cost him if something were to happen to Andie.

Andie nodded. "Yeah, I have to admit I'm going stir crazy right now. I love my job. I have no idea what I would be doing right now if I wasn't a cop."

"Good thing you don't have to worry about that right now. All you have to worry about for the time being is getting better." Shane chuckled softly. "Speaking of which, I should let you get to resting. You don't need to be entertaining me."

"Shane, it's only five in the evening. I'm not tired and I'm certainly not exerting myself. I'm capable of watching a movie or holding a conversation."

Shane held up his hands, "Whoa there, tiger. Calm down. I wasn't implying you were incapable of anything. I was just saying you need your rest. That's all. If you want me to stay and watch a movie, I'll be more than happy to. You pick the movie."

Andie smiled because that's exactly what she wanted. "I would like it if you would stay." Her words paused for a moment before she added, "I don't want to be alone right now."

Shane glanced over at her and asked, "Do you want me to stay here tonight?" He could hear the fear in her voice but didn't want to call her on it for fear she'd decline his offer to stay.

After another long pause where Andie worried her bottom lip she nodded. "Yes, please, if it wouldn't feel too weird for you." She didn't want to make Shane uncomfortable or move too fast but she really didn't want him to walk out the door tonight.

Shane shook his head, already standing and pulling his phone out. "Not at all. Let me make a phone call and I'll be all set. Be right back."

Andie nodded and picked out a movie while Shane was out of the room. She browsed the selection on Netflix, deciding to go with one of her all-time favorites _The Shawshank Redemption_. She waited until Shane joined her on the couch again, smiling as he slid an arm around her casually and spoke. "All taken care of. Fire up the movie."

Andie hit play and the movie began. They spoke quietly during the movie, only to talk over plot points or what they would do in the situation at first, but Andie grew more and more quiet. Shane felt her slowly relaxing and smiled to himself when he went to speak again only to find Andie asleep with her head resting against his chest. He quietly watched the rest of the movie, then picked another, letting her rest as she was and eventually dozing off himself with _The Goonies _playing on the screen.


End file.
